"Priscilla, Queen of the Desert"

This is a society which does not do things by halves, especially when it comes to preparing their audience for what is to follow.  Earlier this year we entered the theatre to find the front of the stage and orchestra pit covered in greenery, an ideal environment for “The Wind in the Willows”.  This week, after desert-like temperatures and stories of gritting wagons spreading sand around the streets of York, it was no surprise to find an oasis of refreshments outside the theatre.

The show can be described as a “juke-box musical” but, nevertheless, there is an interesting story involving a couple of drag queens, a transgender woman and, of course, Priscilla, a camper van they use to cross the Australian desert from Sydney to Alice Springs. The songs are taken from a variety of sources, one, Fred Astaire’s “A fine romance” dating from 1936, through one from the Petula Clark songbook (“Colour my world”), a Bacharach/David favourite (“I say a little prayer”) to Jimmy Webb’s “MacArthur Park” amongst others. 

The whole thing needs an exuberant cast prepared to give their all and this was certainly true of this group. I could but sympathise that their dress rehearsal coincided with record-breaking temperatures and was relieved to hear that sensible precautions had been taken, including spreading this over a matter of six hours.  I think I can recall other dress rehearsals of similar length, albeit for other reasons.   

The production team made the most of opportunities to engage the whole cast in some lively numbers, “It’s raining men” making a great opener, “Go West” and “Thank God, I’m a country boy” also adding to the fun. After someone really did leave “the cake out in the rain”, even “Macarthur Park” turned into a colourful item with some outrageously over-the-top costumes which must surely be destined for a place in the new show “Great British Bake-off: the musical”.  Indeed, the costumes throughout were memorable for the creativity of their designers, Carry on Costumes. Congratulations are due to the cast as they handled their many changes and to the stage crew as they manoevured the camper van around the fairly compact stage, although I did catch a glimpse of one of them checking his appearance in the wing mirror. 

As for the principals, there were fine performances from Steve Tearle as Bernadette, the transgender woman, whilst Tom Henshaw as Adam/Felicia and Finlay Butler as Tick/Mitzi were convincing as the drag queens, enjoying every moment of showing off their sometimes extravagant costumes.  Jack Hambleton as Miss Understanding opened the show during the overture and ensured the audience were immediately engaged. James O’Neill made a good job of the part of Bob, Bernadette’s long-lost love, who finally returns to her side after ridding himself of an uncontrollable wife.  Ali Butler-Hind almost stole the show with this cameo role, delivering her song “Pop Muzik” whilst popping ping-pong balls with great aplomb to all parts of the auditorium. I understand that some even reached the balcony. A group of “three divas” (Perri Ann Bailey, Aileen Stables and Julie Blackburn) appeared throughout the show as a sort of Greek/Aussie chorus leading many of the numbers. There is a small part for a boy as Tick’s eight-year old son as the two are finally united in a poignant duet in which “Always on my mind” and a reprise of “I say a little prayer” are cleverly combined. The part was divided between two youngsters and was nicely played by Matthew Musk at the performance I saw. The principals tackled the Australian accents well and must have spent many hours watching “Neighbours”.  A chorus of tourists, show girls and occasionally yobo Aussies completed the cast. Scott Phillips, making his debut as M.D., had assembled a fine collection of musicians and they produced an excellent sound to accompany the whole show.   

An enthusiastic audience saw an excellent performance and the cast thoroughly deserved the standing ovation after the finale.      

 

                     

    

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